Mataram, Provincial capital in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.
This city stretches along the western shore of Lombok, linking the port district of Ampenan with the administrative quarter and the commercial center of Cakranegara, where Chinese shophouses line the main roads. Wide streets run through low-rise residential blocks, rice paddies, and markets selling fresh fish alongside spices and colorful textiles.
Dutch colonial forces arrived in 1894 and built office blocks, port facilities, and road systems that still shape the city layout today. Following Indonesian independence, the city became the provincial capital of West Nusa Tenggara and retained its role as an administrative center.
The Sasak people shape daily life across the markets and residential streets, speaking their own language and selling handwoven fabrics passed down through generations. Their neighborhoods sit alongside Hindu temples and Muslim prayer halls, reflecting centuries of exchange between different island communities.
An airport connects the city with other Indonesian islands, while the port at Ampenan offers ferry links to Bali and neighboring islands. Most public services and shops are located along the main roads between Ampenan and Cakranegara, easily reached by motorcycle taxi or minibus.
The Pura Meru temple stands in the Cakranegara district and displays nine ascending dark wooden roofs, each one representing a level of the sacred mountain in Hindu cosmology. Built in the 18th century, it remains the most important Hindu temple on the island.
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